China, Japan and South Korea meet at a geopolitical 'historic turning point'

"Given the increasingly serious international situation, I believe we are truly at a turning point in history," Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said at a meeting he chaired with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul.

“That makes it all the more important to overcome division and confrontation through dialogue and cooperation,” Mr. Iwaya added.

The first meeting between the three foreign ministers since 2023 – coming as US President Donald Trump upends decades-old alliances – is expected to cover topics ranging from North Korea’s nuclear weapons to trade, and pave the way for a trilateral summit, following last year’s meeting in Seoul.

"Peace and security on the Korean Peninsula are essential conditions for ensuring peace and prosperity in East Asia and the world. I hope that a frank discussion on the North Korean nuclear issue will take place today," Cho said.

Noting that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II – a war China fought against Japan when the Korean peninsula was still a Japanese colony – Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing wanted to push ahead with free trade talks.

"Our three countries need to reaffirm our common understanding of facing history honestly and looking toward the future, and strengthen East Asian cooperation," Wang said.

Tokyo and Seoul are close allies of Washington, with thousands of US troops stationed in the two countries. All three countries see China – the world’s second-largest economy – as a challenge to regional security.

Mr Iwaya will hold separate meetings with his Chinese and South Korean counterparts, including the first high-level economic dialogue with Beijing in six years.

The meeting will also discuss China's ban on seafood imports from Japan after Japan releases waste from its Fukushima nuclear plant in 2023, Iwaya said this week.